Our 6 Favorite Latinos on 'Glee!'

FOX’s hit musical dramedy Glee may be based in Lima, Ohio, not exactly the place you’d expect to find many Latinos roaming the halls at William McKinley High.

But the show that made Naya Rivera a bona fide star – and could do the same for Cuban-American hottie Blake Jenner, whomade his first appearance in last week’s Grease-themed episode – has featured memorable appearances by several Latino luminaries, including some Grammy-winning superestrellas.

Gloria Estefan guest-starred on Glee’s Season 3 finale as Santana’s mother. She showed up to celebrate her daughter’s (Naya Rivera) graduation and encourage her to accept a cheerleading scholarship. "Maribel is a typical supportive mom and didn't get to go to college, so she wants Santana -- like I want my daughter -- to go to college,” said the Grammy-winning singer of her role. Now if only Estefan had performed a duet with her daughter!

Move Over Judge Judy!

There’s a new judge in town. And his name is Perez Hilton. Last spring, the Cuban-American gossip columnist and self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media” appeared as himself in one of the last episode of Glee. Perez and Lindsay Lohan, appearing as herself, brought the laugh while serving as guest judges at the Nationals competition that resulted in New Directions taking home the top prize.

New Kid on the Block

He may consider himself “"the whitest half-Cuban ever," but Blake Jenner has plenty of that Latin spice. In his new role as Ryder, who landed the lead in McKinley High’s production of Grease, the season two winner of The Glee Project is proving to be this season’s scene-stealer. Whether channeling his inner John Travolta, doing a double-cartwheel or just flashing that adorable watch, Jenner proves he’s hopelessly devoted to making our corazones melt!

Caliente for Teacher!

He bangs, he bangs… Oh baby when he moves, he moves… Ricky Martin set tongues wagging during his stint as David Martinez on Glee. The Puerto Rican heartthrob, who played Will Schuester’s Spanish teacher last season, earned raves for his duet with Santana (Naya Rivera) on Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita.” But it washis duende-filled performance of LMFAO’s “Sexy And I Know It” that really shook things up!

Cheers to the Ultimate Cheerio

It’s hard to believe Naya Rivera hasn’t earned an Emmy nod for her role as snarky, sarcastic Cheerio-rificSantana Lopez. Not only does she deliver some of the best lines on Glee, but the girl can SING! Whether she’s tackling Rihanna or Adele, Rivera knocks it out of the park every time. If only she hadn’t graduated last season! ¿Como se dice “spinoff?”

Family Drama

Ivonne Coll may portray an understanding abuelita on ABC Family’s Switched at Birth, but the former Miss Puerto Rico was nothing short of cold when she guest-starred as Santana’s grandmother. In Glee’s “I Kissed A Girl” episode, Coll’s abuela character tells Santana to leave and never return when she comes out to her, saying it’s a sin to speak of such things. ¡Qué mala onda!

The Next Santana?

Okay, okay; she hasn’t appeared on Glee yet. But we’ve got big hopes that American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez will wow us in her yet-to-be-revealed recurring role on Fox’s musical dramedy. Now that Naya Rivera has graduated, McKinley High is ready for a new Latina diva!

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